Word Line Numbering

Learn how to utilize the Word Line Numbering feature on your documents, including line numbers to the entire document, section(s) or pages as well as removing and change the options.

When you are working with various types of documents (such as scripts or legal contracts), you may need to number your lines. Word can automatically count the lines in a document and display the appropriate number beside each line of text. By default, Word numbers every line in a document (except those in tables, footnotes, endnotes, text boxes, and headers and footers). However, you can choose which line numbers to display, or what interval to display at. To view line numbers, you must be in Print Layout View. Below are the step by step instructions for using the Word Line Numbering feature. Information: The same steps apply whether you are using Word 2016 for Mac or Windows.

Note: Tables and figures are counted as one line each. A text box is counted as one line if it is positioned in line with the text on the page. If the text on the page wraps around the text box, the lines of the text on the page are counted. The lines of text inside a text box are not counted.

Adding Line Numbering to the Entire Document

Click the Layouttab on the ribbon.

Click the Line Numbers in the Page Setup group.

Note: If your document is divided into sections and you want to add line numbers to the entire document, you must select the document by pressing CTRL + A.

Choose one of the following

Continuous – To number consecutively throughout the entire document.

Restart Each Page – To restart at number 1 on each page.

Restart Each Section – To Restart with number 1 after each section break.

Adding Line Numbering to a Section or Sections of the Document

Click in the section or select multiple sections of the document.

Click the Layouttab on the ribbon.

Click the Line Numbers in the Page Setup group.

Note: If your document is divided into sections and you want to add line numbers to the entire document, you must select the document by pressing CTRL + A.

Choose one of the following

Continuous – To number consecutively throughout the entire document.

Restart Each Page – To restart at number 1 on each page.

Restart Each Section – To Restart with number 1 after each section break (if multiple sections have been chosen).

Changing Line Numbering Options

Click the Layouttab on the ribbon.

Click the Line Numbers in the Page Setup group.

Click Line Numbering Options.

The Page Setup dialog box will open. Click the Line Numbersbox from the Layouttab.

The Line Numbers dialog box will open.

Choose the appropriate settings:

Start at – Number to start at.

From Text – How far from the text should the numbers be.

Count by – Interval to count by.

Numbering – Restart each page, restart each section or continuous.

Click OK.

Click OK.

removing Line Numbering

You can remove line numbers from the entire document, from a section, or from a paragraph.

Click in the document, or click in the section or paragraph where you want to remove the line numbers. To remove line numbers from multiple sections, select each section using CTRL+Click or SHIFT+ Click.

Click the Layouttab on the ribbon.

Click the Line Numbers in the Page Setup group.

Do one of the following:

Click Noneto remove line numbers from the entire document or section.

Click Suppress for Current Paragraph to remove line numbers from the selected paragraph.